The Beatles first stormed the American record charts in early 1964, followed closely afterward by their triumphant appearances on
The Ed Sullivan Show
and a riotously received American concert tour. But for George Harrison, this wasn't his first experience in the United States; in the fall of 1963, with the Beatles enjoying some vacation time after their massive success in England and Europe, Harrison (accompanied by his brother Peter) headed to Benton, IL, where his sister Louise Harrison-Caldwell was living with her husband.
George Harrison: A Beatle in Benton, IL
is a documentary which looks back at Harrison's visit to the small Illinois town, where he paid a visit to local radio stations, jammed with hometown rock bands, and attempted to spread the word about the Beatles on the eve of the British Invasion. The film includes interviews with Marsha Shaffer (a then-teenage disc jockey who interviewed Harrison on the air) and members of the Four Vests, a Benton-based band who played with Harrison during his visit.